


Letters to a Friend

by Chartry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Letters, Severus Snape Adopts Harry Potter, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:13:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28087527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chartry/pseuds/Chartry
Summary: Harry has been adopted! But his new guardian is awfully confusing. They keep doing strange things like making sure they are in bed, and making him do his homework. Maybe his friend Hermione can explain just what this behavior means.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 173





	Letters to a Friend

Dear Hermione,

When I asked Dumbledore if I could spend the summer at Hogwarts and he said no, I was worried about how my relatives might react to, you know, what happened with the stone. But after explaining everything to Dumbledore he said I wouldn't have to go back to the Dursley's anymore! It turns out I am too famous for my own good though. Dumbledore has said that there is some trouble finding the right family to put me with. There are too many people who would apply and sorting through everyone who just wants Harry and not "The-Boy-who-lived" would take too long to do right away. So I have to stay with a teacher this summer while he works on a long term solution. And you are not going to believe this, but it's Snape!

At least he is letting me keep Hedwig with me so I can stay in contact with you. But this first week has been really strange. I am pretty sure he is trying to torture me, but it is more confusing than anything. He has a list of work for me to do, but when I completed it the first day and he didn't give me more I started to scrub the floors like I would at home, but he just got angry and asked if I didn't think he kept his home clean enough. He told me to go read a book in my room. But later he got angry that I wasn't leaving my room. I tried to tell him I didn't know when he wanted me to make him dinner, but that just seemed to make him more angry and he told me I that if I kept making him mad he was going to have to create a schedule for my summer so I would be kept busy.

The next morning I got up early to make breakfast. He had already made all the meals the last 2 days and I thought it might have been annoying him with all the extra work I caused for him, but he just started getting mad again! He said I insulted his cooking and was not allowed to use the stove or kitchen knives without his supervision like some sort of baby. He even made me take a nap after lunch saying I got up too early and wasn't trusted with my own sleeping schedule. So now he is making me be in bed by 9:30 every night! I have been trying to stay out of his way, but he keeps finding me. It is not like I am going to steal anything. I am not that dumb. Anyway today we got the owl with my grades and I guess my low History of magic and potions grades made him angry enough that he has finally went through with his threat to schedule my whole summer. It is not even all school work. Most of the day tomorrow is marked as "Outside time" So I will probably be doing some yardwork, or maybe painting the house. I just hope I don't have to reroof the house. It is going to be warm and sunny tomorrow according to the prophet and I would rather not be on the roof in that kind of weather. Roof work gets hotter than just mowing and weeding. But if that wasn't enough, the day after he says he is sending me to the Malfoy's. He says he has errands to run and I can't be by myself.

But enough about me, how has your summer been? I bet you got all O's on your report card! I hope Ron is doing all right, I haven't heard from him yet. Have you?

Regards  
-Harry

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Dear Albus,

The brat's behaviour is abhorent. I shall be taking charge of this situation immediately until I have determined his behavior improves. You do not have to waste anymore time searching for applicants, I will handle that when I am done with the brat.  
-SS

———————————————————————

Dear Harry,  
My summer has been great! My parents and I are really reconnecting after being gone for so long and it is so good to know that we are still family even after the long months away. And I even found out the public library has a magical section. I have always heard that it is really hard to be a librarian and you need to get high marks to be one. It turns out, part of that reason, is that you need to be trustworthy enough to protect the secret of magic. As for Ron he is visiting his brother in Romania for the first part of the summer. He mentioned it on the ride back, but you were still in the hospital wing.  
I am happy you wont have to go back to the Dursley's anymore. I know you don't like talking about how they treat you much, but even Snape will be better than them. You will see. It sounds like he is already doing a bit better than them. His anger worries me, but I will get to that later.  
First off, Harry, you should know you are not a servant, you are a child. It sounds like your relatives didn't know the difference. I hope your cousin will be ok. Did Professor Dumbledore say he would be helping him as well? I'm sure he will, but maybe I should let my parents know so they can report it in the muggle world too. Parents will often assign a few chores to help around the house and to teach their children responsibility, but they are not responsible for cleaning the whole house. I am not sure why Professor Snape would be angry about you doing extra, but it is not your job to do anything extra. That includes cooking! You are still 11, what would happen if you cut yourself or a fire started when Professor Snape wasn't around to cast an extinguishing charm?

I hope by the time you read this you figure out, outside time isn't more chores. My parents do that to me too. Otherwise I would stay inside reading the whole summer away and it sounds like you would do the same. I never figured you for a reader, but I am impressed that you would read enough on your own for Professor Snape to have to come get you for supper. You never seem to read that much at school. Maybe next year we could even start a book club! It would be interesting to read some magical fiction and see how it compares to muggle fiction. Maybe we can alternate between muggle and magical books every week!

I tried not to laugh when I read about your nap. I really did, but I just can't stop thinking about Professor Snape of all people being the kind of person to put you down for a nap. The nap itself isn't funny. My parents will make me take one when I have stayed up too late as well. Although I am sorry to hear your bedtime is so early now. My own is 10:30, Maybe you should talk to Professor Snape about more age appropriate times. He is not used to setting bedtimes, he may not know what is appropriate.  
I must say I am jealous of your schedule though! To think, you have your own private Hogwarts level teacher helping you study! You are going to be so far ahead next year, I will have to work double to catch up. My own parents try to help with what they can. They may not know magic, but they know enough about writing papers and what questions to ask we can usually work together to find the right answer. Don't worry, Between Professor Snape and myself, we will get your grades back up so your next report card can be hung on the refridgerator.

Lastly, I am a little worried about Professor Snape's temper so far. I'm not sure why he would keep Hedwig from you, but it is good that he isn't. I also don't know why he would be watching you so closely. Unless, this may be stupid sounding, but could he just be checking up on you? Sometimes when I am reading a lot and haven't seen my parents for a few hours, they will come in and check that I am doing ok.

The only other thing I can suggest is to try and play nice with Malfoy. It will be a lot longer and harder if you guys fight, and you don't want his parents mad at you if they are going to be watching you sometimes. I know you will hate hearing this, but my parents have said I don't need a sitter anymore, but when I did have one it wasn't so bad. The other kids didn't want their parents catching them picking on me like they usually do either so they just ignored me. Maybe it will work out much the same with Malfoy. I doubt his parents would approve of him antagonizing you.

I have to go now, my mom almost has supper ready and I need to set the table. Hope your next week is better than the last.  
With love,  
Hermione

———————————————————————

Dear Hermione,

I am more confused than ever. Today he told me that calling him professor all the time was tedious and reminding him of his profession was not appropriate for his vacation months. So, now, he wants me to call him Severus. And then he gave me 10 sickles. He said it was mine and all I was allowed. I don't like that he is going into my vault. What if he empties it all out? And I hope he knows I can't get my school supplies with this little.

It's great to hear you are keeping busy. Are you sure that is every public library, or is it just the one near you? Maybe I will ask if I can go to one near here. Severus has a library here, but I think it is all non-fiction and mostly potions. I do like to read, but a book club might be too much with classes and quidditch. And I really don't want Ron and the guys to think I am some Swot. I'll think about it, since it is you asking, but I am not sure. For now though, Severus is keeping me busy enough. I had thought he just didn't trust that I was doing the homework, but I guess it is ok if your parents check on yours as well. I have done better with him checking it afterword. I might even get a few O's this year.

Don't worry about Dudley though, he will be fine. His parents had wanted him, so he didn't have to do any cleaning and he always got to eat even when he was acting like a prat. I should know I cooked most of the meals at the Dursley's and I haven't burned or cut myself since I was 6 thank you very much. I think he just likes treating me like a baby, I need supervision for almost everything, I need a sitter even if he is gone for an hour or two, he has made me take naps at least twice now, and when I brought up the bed time he threatened to lower it to 8:30. He says my bedtime is the same he would give any Slytherin my age, but if I was going to argue about it, I may not be ready to stay up that late yet, so I guess 9:30 isn't as bad as it could be. It is so strange to think all the Slytherins have bed times set. I don't think Mcgonagall cares what time anyone goes to bed.

The Malfoy's weren't as bad as I had thought they would be. Their house is huge and I don't even know where their property ends. Draco and I even went flying for a bit. It is weird calling him Draco, but when there are three Malfoy's it feels weird to just call him Malfoy. Mostly though, we were with Mrs. Malfoy. She taught Draco and I the Piano. Draco is really good. He has been getting lessons since he was 4. They are very strict on something they call etiquette. It seems everything I do is wrong. I think they just like to pick on me though. She insisted that I come by at least once a week and Severus agreed and asked if she might be open to more than that if he needs a sitter. She agreed, but asked if he could watch Draco as well. So, It looks like I am going to be spending a lot of time with him this summer.

-Love  
Harry

———————————————————————

Happy Birthday Harry!  
Not to start this card with a downer, but I think you might have undersold how bad your relatives are. I am now certain Professor Snape(Can I call him Severus if we are not in class?) is a much better guardian for you than them. I am beginning to see where some of your confusion has come from. I will have to explain a bit more about allowances next time I see you. I got together with Ron and we are putting together a little something that might help you. Although I couldn't send it with Hedwig at this time. I hope to get it to you soon. You never know when you might see some old friends. But it will be a great surprise if we get to see you sometime this summer. We will have to live it up as if it was a party.

But enough about all of that. Yes every Library has a magical section. I am told some are quite impressive. I would love to see Professor Snape's personal collection sometime. Maybe you can show it to me some time soon. And when you do, you better keep those swot comments to yourself. You may be a gryffendor, but I don't think you are brave enough to go around implying Professor Snape is a swot. But even if he was it looks like you may be joining me at the Library's swot table this year anyway. He is going to be expecting high marks. You might be right about us not having time for a book club, but we can try once we have settled into the new year.

I did end up sharing my concerns about your cousin with my parents. They are going to have someone take a closer look just in case. I know you didn't get along, but I don't think you would want him getting hurt either. Just look at Malfoy, you seem to be getting on better with him after your circumstances changed. 

Hope to see you soon!  
-Love  
Hermione


End file.
